


Mistakes (not to be repeated)

by SerialKillerQueen



Series: V and Johnny sitting in a tree [1]
Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: (Slightly), Angst, Aroace author tries to write sexual attraction, Beta read we do not die, F/M, Flashbacks, Giving someone dog tags as an emotional gesture, Grief/Mourning, Guilty Johnny Silverhand, Introspection, Johnny Silverhand Being An Asshole, Johnny Silverhand being lowkey horny and highkey sad, Promises, Set during the cutscene of Hotel Pistis Sophia, Sharing a Body, Soft Johnny Silverhand, The Author Regrets Everything, The Author Regrets Nothing, Trauma, What if V had a resemblance to Alt wouldn't that be messed up, do not copy to another site, please read the authors notes!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-19 01:35:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29867178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerialKillerQueen/pseuds/SerialKillerQueen
Summary: When V collapses, Johnny takes over to get them to the Pistis Sophia, and makes her a promise when she wakes up.There may be a lot of guilt and sadness in-between those two things.
Relationships: Alt Cunningham/Johnny Silverhand, Johnny Silverhand & V, Johnny Silverhand/V, Past Alt Cunningham/Johnny Silverhand
Series: V and Johnny sitting in a tree [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2202696
Comments: 5
Kudos: 16





	Mistakes (not to be repeated)

**Author's Note:**

> Some general info you need to know:  
> \- I prefer using real people as opposed to imagining characters as their video game selves, it's just how I am  
> \- I fancast Katheryn Winnick as Alt Cunningham (though with green eyes, as in-game Alt has)  
> \- This V looks like Sydney Sweeney  
> \- Here is the mycast for my Cyberpunk 2077 Fancast, it is not complete, but good to reference (some of the casting choices were inspired by other mycasts!)  
> https://www.mycast.io/stories/cyberpunk-2077-4

He watches her hit the ground, limbs jerking, twitching, breathing harsh.

_He holds her face, pleads with her, blonde hair tangled in his hands, she doesn’t wake up, she will never wake up again._

His metal hand grips V’s arm, feels the warmth of her flesh, feels it reflected, the sensation of his hand grabbing his own arm, the splitting pain in her (in his) head. 

“J - Johnny!” 

(Begging him to save her, that’s downright fucking ironic isn’t it).

He already feels a shift, her shifting away for him to take over, in this case that’s a good thing.

“You ain’t dyin’ yet. I got you.”

(Ironic, but he _is_ going to save her. This time he won’t fail, not a fucking chance).

And then he’s in control, resting in a skin that isn't his, but responds as easily as if it was.

It’s strange still, the shorter height, the lack of extra weight from a metallic arm.

(Not the only thing missing though, is it).

By the time he gets them to the hotel, her legs are barely holding them up, the headache an unending, stabbing pain, right behind their eyes. 

He takes one of the pills and waits, resting his arms on the ledge of the balcony, she’s collapsed on the ground, unconscious. 

(No amount of feeling real to her will allow him to pick her up).

And he waits.

He doesn’t know exactly how long it is before she stirs, the first word out of her mouth is his name, as she struggles to sit up.

“That smell’s the sea breeze.”

(Not that long ago there was a notable delay in what her senses picked up and him being able to feel or smell or taste it, it’s gotten shorter and shorter. Her time is running out).

“Get up. Pacific’s beautiful this time of day.”

She pushes herself up, grunting quietly, coming to stand beside him.

“Almost flatlined by that attack…”

( _He holds her face, pleads with her, blonde hair tangled in his hands, she doesn’t wake up, she will never wake up again._ )

“Almost,” he agrees.

She looks out across the water, expression clearing slightly.

“You’re right, it’s beautiful, hard to take my eyes off it.”

Her gaze turns to him briefly, big blue eyes (and if they were green she would look so damn much like -) pinning him in place before she looks away, blonde hair tangled around her head,

“We in Pacifica? What’s this building?”

“Old hotel - the Pistis Sophia. We’re her sole guests right now.”

(He’d taken Alt here once, under the guise of it being a place for a fuck (or 2 or 3...It hadn’t entirely been a guise). He’d never shown her the hiding place in one of the rooms. Hadn’t taken her to _that_ room at all. When he’d given her dog tags they’d been his own, his birth name right there for anyone to see...But she had never worn them on her neck, they were always tucked into her pocket).

“Wanted to show you something, c’mon.”

She pushes herself away, still looking slightly dazed.

“Why...Why bring me here of all places?”

He turns and starts walking.

“Give me a minute, you’ll see.”

From behind him,

“You took over? Didn’t you?”

_He holds her face, pleads with her, blonde hair tangled in his hands, she doesn’t wake up, she will never wake up again._

“Couldn’t just leave you there, could I?”  


She stumbles suddenly, her legs giving out, landing on her hands and knees with a grunt.

She shifts into a sitting position, holding his gaze, then turns away and stands up (again).

“Thanks…for helping.”

There’s just a hint of suspicion in her voice, she’s not sure if this was an attempt to take control permanently.

(Like he couldn’t have done that already if he wanted to).

“What are imaginary friends for?”

He walks ahead, only to immediately turn back when he hears another ‘thud.’

She’s on the ground again, face twisted in pain, but not inclined to acknowledge it.

“I’ll...Return the favor first chance I get.”

(He could think of a few things she could do. Though in their current “predicament” that wouldn’t be nearly as fun).

“Hold you to that.”

She stands.

“Your first thought was sex, wasn’t it?”

(Huh, she knows him better than he thought, but...first thought? No. Frequent thought? Second, third, and also fourth thought? Fuck yes. He’d have to be blind to not notice she’s beautiful, and blind he isn’t).

“Well, technically, we’d be jackin’ off. But, nah, you’re not my type.”

(If her eyes were green she would -)

He leans against the open window.

“Climb through the window. Can manage that, I think.”

_”You’re an asshole Johnny.”_

Yeah...Yeah.

She moves slowly, climbing through the window in a way that indicates every movement is a struggle, finally falling through and landing on the floor, then picking herself up _again._

“You wanted to know why I brought you here. There’s a hidey-hole where I’m standin’. Open it. Empty it.”

He watches her walk over, looking at the vent cover, bending down to pull it off.

He can tell the pain in her head is lessening, her strength returning.

She turns, dog tags in hand.

“These yours?”

He sits down on a chair, turned around so its back is to his chest.

“They were, belong to you now.”

Her brow furrows.

“Huh, fifty years back...Mexican conflict?”

He huffs quietly.

“When I was a young pissbrain like you, I enlisted with a corp army. Was in Mexico when I realized no matter the conflict, corps always win. Ordinary people always lose.”

There’s a hint of a sardonic smile on her lips.

“So, that the truth you decided to “reveal in song?””

He shrugs slightly.

“Well, deserted first. Wound up here, locked in this room. Laid in bed staring at the ceiling fan for a good month.”

She deflates slightly, he can see how tired she is.

“I wouldn’t mind lying down right now, watching a fan until the end of time.”

The end of time for her is sooner than later. She doesn’t have that luxury.

“It’s why I brought you here. Wastin’ days, weeks. That’s the step I want you to skip.”

He sees her frown slightly, more confused than anything.

“Why are you giving me these?”

She turns the dog tags in her hand, studying them. He wonders what she thinks of the name attached.

“Imagine we’re deployed together, fightin’ in a war side by side. Would you take a bullet for me?”

She looks at him, (she sees right fucking through him) and for the briefest moment he shifts his gaze away.

“I...would, yeah.”

He can tell she means it. There’s something fundamentally honest about her, always has been.

“Tags belong to a man who sacrificed his life for mine in Mexico… Been thinkin’ about our...Predicament. Wanna be clear, I will do you no wrong. When the time comes, it’ll be my life for yours, I’ll agree to get wiped. Tags are proof of my promise.”

She places the dog tags around her neck, something sad in her expression. (If she had green eyes she’d look like...but she never wore his dog tags. He found them in Arasaka tower when she…Then he took them with him. Proof of his promise, that they would pay. But she never wore them).

“I...I’d do the same for you.”

He doesn’t doubt that.

“Yeah, thanks.”

_He holds her face, pleads with her, blonde hair tangled in his hands, she doesn’t wake up, she will never wake up again._

He won’t fail this time.

**Author's Note:**

> So when I first met Alt in game, I was like "wow she's the prettiest character in this game" and then thought "I bet next time I play I can use a mod to make V look like her." From there spiraled a thought process of "if V looks similar to Alt...how would that effect Johnny?"  
> However I did NOT use the mod, I've used suggested presets, so V looks very similar to Alt but not identical and not with green eyes (she also has some tattoos). I wanted her to be similar enough that Johnny couldn't miss it, but not identical, that'd be very strange.  
> Also I am forever bitter you can't romance Johnny, and that further inspired this fic.  
> I may write something more here but I really can't guarantee it, since starting to write original work I've fallen in love with it and I prefer it to fanfic (writing, more than reading it), tbh.  
> I hope you enjoy!


End file.
